Beyond the Books Learning with @Netflix_CA #StreamTeam

Well September is here and my kids are back at school and working hard at their last year of high school. The learning curve is steep this year. Besides the academics, there are many lessons to be learned before they head off to post secondary lives of college, university or jobs. There are life lessons to be learned, and skills they will need as they go forth and discover the world. My job as a parent is to help provide the tools for this learning, and I have always believed you must go beyond the books for some lessons. A movie or show can often be the perfect way to supplement their learning.

When my kids were younger it seemed a bit more straight forward. They focused on the ABC's and 123's. Their day was filled with learning to read, count, wait their turn and share. Below are a few great shows for those of you with younger kids struggling a bit, or they provide a fun way for kids to get extra practise. 

The older kids are not always as easy to communicate with, and they are not always willing to share their school day and experiences. As they struggle for independence, acceptance, and learn to navigating the school social scene a movie or a show can help to bridge the communication gap and help to find common ground. Try watching some of these shows or movies together and then strike up a conversation about what you watched. Talking about a subject without actually talking about yourself or your child may help to put both of you at ease. Plus, there are important lessons about tolerance, empathy, and integrity that can be learned by the both of you. I highly recommend The Pursuit of Happyness.

Don't forget about all the many documentaries you can find on Netflix Canada that can give your child some insight into possible career paths, setting goals, entrepreneurship, and advocacy skills. Be sure to check out the TEDTalks Collections on Netflix.

For the younger kids:

1. Thomas & Friends: Thomas & His Friends Help Out 
2. Monster Math Squad
3. Curious George
4. Super Why!
5. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
6. Signing Time
7. Animal ABC's
8. LeapFrog: Numbers Ahoy

For the older kids:

1. Dr Seuss' The Lorax
2. Ever After: A Cinderella Story
3. Glee
4. Radio
5. The Pursuit of Happyness
6. The Karate Kid
7. Turbo
8. Shrek

We can't end without first talking about the importance of teaching kids about good nutrition and healthy snacks and lunches. I think both of you will love this cream cheese and veggie sandwich. Why not get in the kitchen and make the sandwiches together, then enjoy them while watching one of these movies or shows. 

Photo via Netflix & SPC 

Cream Cheese & Veggie Sandwich Recipe via SPC

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about Netflix Stream Team.

Note: As part of the Netflix Stream Team I receive Netflix and a streaming device free of cost for the purpose of my Stream Team reviews and posts. All opinions are my own.